Javier Pastore is not only the key playmaker for Paris Saint-Germain, but he is also the player that connects PSG’s midfield to its attack. No matter what formation PSG uses, the Argentine virtuoso should remain a reference point in the squad.
All of the passing, industry, and defending of PSG’s central midfielders is fruitless if Pastore isn’t included in the starting lineup to be the key linking player to create scoring opportunities.
Paris Saint-Germain under Laurent Blanc has regularly used a 4-3-3 formation with Javier Pastore often lining up out left in the Front Three, but with the arrival of Ángel Di María, it’s key that Pastore keeps his starting spot.
Blanc and PSG have many ways to accommodate Pastore’s unique genius, and one controversial but wise way is to pick either Edinson Cavani or Zlatan Ibrahimovic but not both for the starting lineup. This is assuming Ibrahimovic doesn’t switch clubs.
Rather than forcing Cavani out to the right or left wing in the attacking trident, Cavani should be deployed in his natural position as a center forward with Pastore either lining up as a trequartista or as a right or left wing.
Keeping three center midfielders is crucial to PSG winning the battle for the midfield against top opponents, so Pastore must be used either as a forward or as a Number 10.
Di María can play as a wing on either side or as a second striker. Playing out left gives PSG a left-footed attacker on the left side of the field, but starting out right allows Di María to cut inside onto his stronger left foot. Either way, Di María is a deadly and decisive attacker.
Pastore plays like a Number 10 no matter where his position is on paper, so it makes little difference if Pastore is listed as part of an attacking trident or as an attacking midfielder sitting just behind the two strikers.
Blanc will have a problem deciding whether to start Lucas Moura or Di María or both, but no matter what he decides, Pastore shouldn’t be sacrificed.
Both Cavani and Ibrahimovic can score with the best of them, and if both players are still playing for PSG, then starting Pastore is more important than starting both Cavani and Ibrahimovic. The argument can even be made that PSG played its best soccer when Ibrahimovic wasn’t in the lineup.
Instead of starting Pastore in a thee-man midfield, a strong PSG midfield could consist of Marco Verratti, David Luiz, and Blaise Matuidi with Pastore as a Number 10 or part of an attacking trident.
If PSG wants to have a 50/50 balance between ball recovery and attacking play, then Pastore should be deployed in a more advanced position than those three midfielders.
In fact, despite the tactical point made previously, a strong argument can be made that just Verratti and Matuidi without a third central midfielder is enough defensive firepower for PSG’s midfield to boss the battle of the midfield, as Pastore has become a two-way midfielder in his own right that provides lots of running and even defending.
During this summer’s Copa America, the Argentine attacking midfielder was even dropping back deep into the midfield to influence the game.
El Flaco can play in front of Verratti and Matuidi as an attacking midfielder in a three-man midfield, and this formation allows both Lucas Moura and Di María to start. Assuming both provide plenty of high pressing, PSG’s lineup shouldn’t be too heavily tilted toward the offensive.
In order for PSG to go even deeper in the Champions League in 2015-2016, Pastore needs to not be viewed as something of a luxury player that is not key to PSG’s success.
Pastore proved his worth last season for PSG, and he was arguably the best player at the 2015 Copa America.
Looking over all of the lineup options available to Blanc, perhaps a 4-2-3-1 or 4-2-1-3 formation would better utilize PSG’s cluster of stars. In those formations, Pastore would play as the center attacking midfielder with Verratti and Matudi behind him and Di María and Lucas to his left and right.
Blanc will have plenty of 50/50 lineup decisions to make this campaign, but Pastore shouldn’t be one of them.